The world's tallest woman, Yao Defen, died last month on November 13, 2012!

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I just read that the world's tallest woman has died. Her name was Yao Defen, born on July 15, 1972, and she was 7 feet and 7 inches (233.3 centimeters) tall. She lived in the town of Liuan in the Anhui province of Shucheng County and was 39 years old when she died. Chinese state media say Defen died on Nov. 13 at her home. According to the Guinness Book of World Records in January 2010 she was certified to be the world's tallest living woman at 7 feet and 7 inches (233.3 centimeters). The local Xin'an Evening News did not give the cause of death but said in a report that Yao suffered from gigantism, with a tumor on her pituitary gland in her brain, which was releasing too much growth hormone which caused excessive growth in her bones. Six years ago, a hospital in Guangzhou Province removed the tumor, and she stopped growing. However the tumor returned and she was again treated in Shanghai in 2007. Afterwards she was sent home for 6 months with the hope that medication would reduce her tumor enough to allow surgery. The second surgery was never performed because her family could not afford it. Yao had expressed frustration at being so tall a few years ago, saying "I am very unhappy. Why am I this tall? If I were not this tall, others would not look at me like this.". I hope she rests in peace. It must not have been an easy life for her.